


About Time

by rosepetal987



Category: Kingdom Hearts
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, M/M, Past Zexion/Roxas
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-26
Updated: 2016-08-26
Packaged: 2019-06-12 17:05:30
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,147
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15344460
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rosepetal987/pseuds/rosepetal987
Summary: College is a mess of feelings, and someone needs to give Demyx the right push to ask Zexion out. A story about pins and ice cream.





	About Time

**Author's Note:**

> Casually posts my World Connected piece to AO3 years later...

Demyx kind of liked their cafeteria. He just hated figuring out where to sit. This wasn’t high school. You didn’t claim a table with some friends and it was yours. This was college and things changed on the hourly. 

Lucky for him people also came and went at either the pace of a taco bell or a fine dining restaurant, so he was able to find an empty circular table in the corner. He liked the circle ones more than the squares because you could move the chairs around and get comfier. Being by the corner also meant he had a wall to set his guitar against.

~~~~

Axel thought, maybe, that he might be falling for his best friend. He knew it happened. That it really was not that weird. He’d watched enough TV to know how things worked. 

He just never thought it would happen to him. 

It did not help that TV said it should happen with one of his female friends, either, but he had never cared about that part. 

“Demyx,” He whined as he found the dirty blond in the corner of the cafeteria eating a vegan burger and fries. “I need your help.” 

Demyx glanced up at him and gave a small shrug as Axel sat down. He’s like his… fourth best friend. If anyone is keeping track. Which he, apparently, is. 

“Is that money help or homework help?” Demyx is better at giving one than the other, considering his dad is a politician.

“It’s a relationship help,” Axel stated as his tray clunked onto the table and it was only sheer luck that his soda cup did not fall over on the table nor his cheeseburger. 

“That’s not like you,” Demyx responded and held out one of his fries for him. Demyx is kind like that. Axel has appreciated that since the day he ran into the blond’s trombone in tenth grade. 

“Yeah, well, how did you confess to Zexion?” Axel asked as he took the fry. 

Demyx nearly dropped the fry before Axel took it in surprise, aquamarine eyes growing large. “What?”

“Zexion.” Axel only rolled his eyes a little. “Stupid smart. Stupid short. You’ve only been in love with him for like forever, how did you confess?” 

Demyx’s gaze slowly slipped to the side and he shook his head. “I haven’t.” 

“What do you mean you haven’t? You two are totally dating!” Axel, like most other people in the cafeteria, had no care about volume or anyone else there outside of their own friend circle. It was a mutual holding ground of bubbles.

“What?!” Demyx’s face felt on fire as his head snapped back to Axel. “No we aren’t!” 

“What do you mean you aren’t?” Axel huffed. “According to Roxas you are totally dating.” 

“We really aren’t.” Demyx sighed. “I’m pretty sure I would know if the Zexion was my boyfriend, Axel.” 

Axel frowned and got his phone out of his pants. “You positive?” 

“Pretty positive, Ax.” Demyx whispered and deflated a little. It was not for a lack of trying.

“Huh.” Axel made a sound as he texted Roxas and picked up his burger with his other hand. “Weird.” 

“More than weird, Ax.” Demyx huffed and nibbled on his fries, over salted, just how he liked them. 

“Pretty sure Rox is in class so I won’t hear back anything until later. But really, you sure you’re not?” 

“I’m pretty sure I would know.” Demyx repeated. “Zexion has said nothing that would imply he likes me, let alone that he asked me out.” 

“Mm, okay.”

They fell into a lull after that.

Demyx tried to eat even while his stomach was in his throat.

Axel could always eat.

~~~~

[He was drunk.]

Axel blinked at the text response from Roxas in slight confusion before double checking what they were talking about. Right, Demyx and Zexion.

He did not think Zexion drank. A kid like him probably could not handle more than half a beer.

[So he wants to date Demyx?] Axel shot back and leaned against the wall outside of the dorm. He did not have another class for three hours and Roxas would be there in a few minutes. He wanted to see his face and figure this out in person.

[I guess so.]

Axel sighed at the response and ran his hand not holding his cellphone through his hair. What a mess.

[I’ll be at the dorm in a few.]

Roxas waved when he saw him, backpack on one shoulder. Sora always had it on both. “I hadn’t meant it seriously.” Roxas stated when he stopped before Axel. “Zexion was drunk and talking nonsense. Vexen was way worse.”

Axel huffed and dragged his hand down his face. “Great. But Zexion totally likes Demyx, right? You have to know that much, Rox.”

“Zexion has only been dropping hints since day one, Ax.” Roxas rolled his eyes. “Demyx has to ask him out. He’ll totally say yes.”

“It can’t be that simple.”

“It totally can. It’s not like anyone else is trying to get with Zexion romantically. I mean-” he wiggled his hand. “It’s whatever.”

“Still holding onto that?” Axel whispered softly and bent down a little, well aware Roxas was not big on talking about the past.

“He was my first kiss, Axel. We’ve both moved on. But I’m totally decking Demyx if he does anything.”

“Pretty sure Lexaeus has first dibs.” Axel laughed and leaned back away.

“True.” Roxas smiled and turned away. “Come on. I’ll sign you in. I’ll help you with your history if you help me with my math.”

“It’s a deal.”

~~~~

Roxas opened his suite room and let Axel in. “Rooms on the right, you wanna do homework in there or out here?”

“In there is fine.” Axel shrugged. He got along with the rest of the suite pretty decent, so it really did not matter.

Saix looked up from one of the two couches in the common area when they actually walked in, accounting book on his lap.

“Hey Saix.” Axel gave him a small wave and did his best to not laugh over seeing Saix in his reading glasses. He never took them to class. “Need any help reading anything?”

“Axel,” Saix gave a small smile over seeing his best friend and ignored his question as he removed his text book from his lap. “I was going to give you your book back in class tonight. I will get it now.” 

“You could just hold onto it.” Axel laughed. “But thanks.” 

Saix shook his head and vanished into his room. He returned with a well-read murder mystery. “You would never get it back if Vexen got his hands on it.” 

“Or Zexion.” Roxas laughed. 

Axel took the book from Saix and flipped his shoulder bag open to tuck it inside. “Thanks.” He grinned. He knew Zexion was an English major but had no idea if Vexen was English or Science. Guy could be math or business, like Saix, for as much as he knew. “It’s really okay if you hold onto it longer, Saix. I’m not reading these much these days.”

He had been crazy into murder mysteries tenth grade but really Saix had wound up reading them more than he. He had tried to give him this exact book no less than three times but he seemed to prefer borrowing it.

Saix was funny like that.

Saix shook his head.

“I’ll bring you a different book tomorrow.” Axel hummed. “Think you can last that long?” He teased, well aware Saix red before bed.

“I’ll manage,” Saix nodded. “Or I’ll borrow something from Zexion.” He looked to Roxas with his words. Axel knew Saix tried to get along with Roxas for his sake. It was some serious cosmic intervention that Saix had wound up with Vexen, who had agreed to be Zexion’s suitemate.

“He went out with Vexen for ice cream, but he’ll be back by 4:30 for dinner,” Roxas responded.

“Okay.” Saix nodded and swallowed. “Thank you. Make sure Axel actually does his homework, Roxas.”

“I will.” Roxas grinned and gestured to his room. “Come along. My stats homework won’t do itself.”

“Okay but what if we rent a dog to eat it?”

“You’re ridiculous.” Roxas laughed.

~~~~

“I didn’t know you were working today, Demyx.” Vexen spoke as the entered the ice cream place by their school and saw the who blond stood behind the ice cream case.

“Yup, I had the one-o-clock shift.” Demyx grinned. “So what’ll it be?”

Zexion stepped up next to Vexen after getting distracted by beef jerky. “Rum raisin.”

“You’re still on that kick?” Vexen questioned as he looked down at Zexion and then looked back to Demyx. “Cookie dough.”

Zexion shrugged slightly as he dug his wallet from his pants. “I am not giving Demyx the satisfaction of ordering Brew-Ha-Ha.”

“But it is a limited edition flavor, Zexion. And you love coffee ice cream and it has espresso bean flavored chocolate flakes. Come on, just once?” Demyx attempted and held up a finger before taking their money.

“Not a chance.” Zexion huffed.

“Do you have it in pint form?” Vexen questioned.

“Nah, just for the counter.” Demyx did their order and slipped back to make it, well aware Zexion wanted his in a cup and Vexen wanted a cone. They did this enough.

“You have enough ice cream back in the room.” Zexion stated.

“You can never have enough ice cream.” Demyx called out.

Vexen grinned down at him. “Exactly. Besides, Marluxia finished off my French Vanilla.”

“He does have a serious obsession with vanilla…” Zexion mumbled.

“And I could make jokes but I leave those to him.” Vexen shrugged.

“Here you guys go.” Demyx grinned as he set the cup down on the counter and held out the cone for Vexen.

“Thanks.” Vexen mumbled as he took his, biting down on it just because he knew Zexion hated it.

“I’m telling Marluxia about this just for that.” Zexion stated as he picked up his cup and a spoon.

“Rude.” Vexen pouted. “It is bad enough Saix doesn’t let me keep Oreos in the bedroom. I need ice cream to live.”

Zexion rolled his eyes. “Fine, but you’re buying me hot chocolate later.”

“Deal.” Vexen grinned.

“Oh!” Demyx exclaimed as he reached into his pants and slipped a pin onto the counter. It was black and had a white tremble symbol on it. “Here, Zexy.” 

Zexion blinked at him before he slipped it off the counter and pocketed it. “Thanks. I’ll put it on later.”

Demyx grinned and nodded. “Cool. I totally washed the table outside this morning but if you want to stay inside that’s cool too.”

Zexion nodded and shrugged softly. “You know Vexen burns when it’s cloudy.”

“That was one time!” Vexen huffed.

Zexion laughed and walked off towards a booth. “Come sit, Vexen. Demyx remind me to buy Pringles on the way out.”

“Can do.”

~~~~

Zexion returned to his suite with a can of Pringles and Vexen’s half gallon of brownie cookie sundae. It was some mess of vanilla ice cream with brownie and cookie dough pieces let alone a fudge swirl because he was not the only person in the suite with problems making up their mind.

“Rox I’m coming in.” Zexion stated as he knocked his foot against his bedroom door after Saix told him Axel was over.

“You’re already back?” Roxas called back.

Zexion chuckled as he entered his room and tossed the can of Pringles at the blond. “It’s four, Roxas.”

“Wait, really?” Roxas leaned away from his text book to look at the clock on his desk and sighed heavily. “This is all your fault, Ax, I can’t believe you convinced me into a nap.”

Axel looked between the two of them. “In my defense I can nap for fifteen minutes. You passed out for an hour and only woke up because you almost rolled off your bed.”

“Ax this stats homework is due tomorrow.” Roxas sighed and rubbed his face. “And you have history homework.”

“Which I did while you snored.” Axel shrugged. “It’s stats, do it now. You guys don’t even go to dinner for another like half an hour.”

“Ugghh, get off my bed.” Roxas huffed. “Go wait with Saix.”

“I thought you needed my help?” Axel tilted his head and grinned.

“I’ll just ask Zexion.” Roxas grumbled as he popped the lid off the Pringles and peeled back the foil. “You’re not getting any of these.”

“Fine, fine.” Axel sighed as he slipped off Roxas’s bed and collected up his papers and textbook back into his bag.

Zexion stepped over to Roxas’s bed once Axel was gone and his bag was ready for his night class. “You okay?”

“What about you?” Roxas shot back as he angrily crunched down a Pringle.

“What about me?” Zexion tilted his head and sat on the edge of Roxas’s bed, fingers brushing over his checkered quilt.

“Demyx. You always go for ice cream when Demyx is working.”

“He gave me a new pin.” Zexion smiled and reached up to his beanie, slipping it off to show off the music note tucked next to Stitch.

“Why don’t you just ask him out?” Roxas sighed.

“We’ve talked about this, Roxas. I want it to be when Demyx is ready.” Zexion responded and leaned over to nuzzle the side of Roxas’s hair. “Do your homework. I know you were only making excuses.”

“Fine.”

~~~~

“Why did no one bring me back anything?” Axel huffed as he settled down on the couch beside Saix. “What even is that?”

“Vexen called it Blueberry Pie in the Sky. It’s apparently blueberry ice cream with shortbread pieces.” Saix replied and held out his spoon for Axel. “They did not know you had come over until they got back.”

Axel had swapped germs with Saix enough over the past years to make eating his ice cream seem second nature. That and he loved blueberries. Okay, he just loved blue. “True.” He mumbled once he swallowed. “Thanks.”

Saix nodded and returned to eating his own ice cream.

It took some twenty-five minutes until Zexion and Roxas emerged from their room, bags over their shoulders. Axel had fallen asleep on his shoulder twenty minute ago. Saix spent the time re-glancing over the chapter for tonight’s history. Axel had no doubt bare minimum skimmed it to get the homework done.

“Are you coming with us, Saix?” Roxas asked.

Axel blinked and stretched his arms above his head once Saix nudged him away from his shoulder.

“I have class with Axel, so yes. Let me clean up.” Saix nodded and picked up his accounting book from the table along with his notebook. “Should I tell Vexen we are leaving?”

“Mm, probably.” Zexion tilted his head one way to the other. “I’ll text Mar we’re heading out.”

Saix nodded and slipped past them and down to the other side of the suite into his room.

Zexion smiled softly at Vexen when he showed up behind Saix. “I texted Mar so you should probably fix your hair.”

Vexen frowned at him and angrily ran his fingers through his hair. “I don’t need your help.”

“That is a total lie.” Zexion shook his head. “Go ahead with Saix and Roxas. I want to talk to Axel for a moment.”

The three of them stared at him.

“Just go.”

Saix nodded and placed a hand on Vexen’s back to lead him along.

Roxas glanced back at them and bit his lip. “I’ll order you a turkey burger if we make it to the cafeteria first.”

“Thank you.” Zexion responded and they left.

“What exactly did you tell Demyx?” Zexion asked once they were alone and he glanced back at Axel.

“I told him I thought you two were dating. I already texted him that I just misunderstood something Roxas said.” Axel sighed. “I’m sorry.”

“He needed the push. Roxas has been saying that for weeks.” Zexion shook his head. “It is alright, Axel. But you should focus on your own relationship dilemmas instead.”

“So you did notice that?” Axel laughed and sighed deeply. “I’ll figure it out.”

“I trust you will.” Zexion nodded. “Let’s get dinner.”

“Yeah.”

~~~~

“What’s wrong?” Marluxia asked it to his grilled cheese and thus the table.

Zexion sighed at length and took a long sip from his smoothie. He really should not be eating it with his hamburger but he was stressed and did not care right then. The cafeteria had been out of barely decent sushi and he had no idea what his next move was supposed to be with Demyx.

Axel bit his lip as he sat between Saix and Roxas, eating more ketchup than fries. He needed to help Demyx before he helped himself. But maybe helping Demyx would help himself.

Marluxia hummed at the silence and placed his right hand on Vexen’s thigh. “What’s wrong?” He repeated as he looked up at the table, voice a little sterner.

“I think Demyx might finally ask me out soon and I am unsure how to go about it.” Zexion admitted. Marluxia would figure it all out later. He always did.

“Demyx?” Marluxia repeated and tilted his head. “Truly? Then why is Axel acting weird?”

“Because he is Axel.” Saix responded at Marluxia’s side.

“Fair point.” Marluxia shrugged.

“Hey!”

“So Demyx?”

Zexion nodded and finally set his shake down and sighed softly. “I said some stupidly embarrassing things to Roxas while drunk recently and he had confused passed some onto Axel who told Demyx an assumption that might have finally set him in motion.”

“I see.” Marluxia hummed. “It is Demyx. I would advise acting normal; I doubt he’ll do anything until the two of you are alone.”

“Normal? I should be able to manage that.” Zexion chuckled.

~~~~

Demyx checked his phone to a text from Axel.

[Roxas has class.]

Which meant Zexion would be alone in his suite, or at least his room. Saix usually kept in his room and Vexen was… Vexen. Vexen was wherever Vexen wanted to be. That could be asleep under the table some days.

~~~~

Zexion does not wear his beanie inside his dorm room and Demyx always wanted to touch his hair when he can actually see it. 

Zexion stepped away from his door and invited him in. He does mostly night classes but Demyx knows he’s always awake around noon. “I’m going to eat in front of you.” he stated in his usual cool polite manner. “I would offer to make you a sandwich but I know how you feel about meat." 

"Hehe, yeah, but thanks for the thought, Zexion.” Demyx responded as he enters the room.

“Anyone else home?" He is trying his best to seem cool as well. He never does a good job of it before Zexion.

"Roxas has class.” Zexion hummed. Roxas’s classes are pretty all over. “Vexen is either asleep or never came home last night. Can’t tell you about Saix." 

"I’m still surprised they’re roomies." Demyx states because everyone is. The fact Marluxia and Vexen have not become roommates is only due to the fact it would make Xigbar and Saix roommates and no one is about to do that.

"They left it up to fate. As long as Vexen keeps his stuff on his side they seem to get along." 

Demyx nodded a few times. "I just don’t think I could do it." 

"Unlike you Vexen is a workaholic.” Zexion stated as he hopped up onto one of the barstools before the divider between the kitchenette and the common area that served as a breakfast bar. “What did you come by for?" 

Demyx’s eyes followed his every move and he swallowed. “Stuff.” he responded because he’s still running a hundred ideas through his head on how to do this. 

Zexion rose a brow at him and shrugged, picking up his sandwich from the plate on the countertop. They’re white and have blue snowflakes on them and most would think they were Vexen’s but Zexion or Marluxia had probably actually bought them. 

Demyx wiggled his way onto one of the stools, always amazed at how easy Zexion makes it seem considering the kid is like three inches shorter than him. But Zexion is also used to them. 

“It helps if you put your hips in it more.” Zexion suggested after he swallowed and recognized Demyx’s dilemma. Zexion was used to climbing onto and up things. Demyx was used to being short for a guy but not too short and managing. The stools for the college were just obnoxious in general. 

Demyx laughed softly and finally got himself up with at least some of his dignity intact. At least he knew Zexion was paying attention to him. “Thanks.” 

Zexion shrugged slightly.

Demyx reached into his jacket and set a pin on the countertop. “Zexion?” Demyx whispered as he kept his fingers on the pin. White with a red heart on it. “Will you be my boyfriend?” 

Even if Zexion had expected the question to be coming soon he almost squeezed the sandwich in hand to death. “You finally ask.” his laughter echoes in Demyx’s head. “I will, Demyx.” 

~~~~

[We need to talk. I’m in the lounge.]

Axel sighed deeply as he sent the text and thunked his head back against the table before him. If Demyx had the confidence to finally confess to Zexion he could at least talk about his growing feelings.

Probably.

~~~~

“Saix always makes this look when he sees you,” Demyx whispered as Saix left Zexion’s dorm room, hair in a messy braid and keycard around his neck in a lanyard with stars on it.

“He’s always trying to figure out my hair,” Zexion laughed gently as he thumbed a crumb away from his lips and into his mouth.

“Huh?”

“Saix is color blind. I figure my hair looks gray but not Gray.” Zexion shrugged “So he stares at me a lot.”

“That does make sense.” Demyx nodded “He looked in a rush.”

“Probably noticed the hour or Axel wants something,” Zexion hummed. “He’s been like that for about a week now.”

“So you do notice him,” Demyx teased.

“We do live together, Demyx.” Zexion rolled his eyes and finally picked up the pin. “I’ll get my hat.”

Demyx grinned as he watched him go.

~~~~

Zexion stilled as he walked out of his room and back to where Demyx sat. His phone was singing Taylor Swift’s Black Space and he pulled it out of his pants.

[I’m going to be back late. You can have dinner without me.]

Zexion frowned softly at the text message from his best friend, but he supposed the timing was not that bad. “When are you going home?”

Demyx pouted as he looked over at him. “Jezz, Zexy, I confess and you-”

“I meant are you going to be here tonight?” Zexion amended.

“Mm, yeah, I can stay. I don’t have work tonight.” Demyx smiled. “What’s up?”

“I usually eat with Roxas but he is going to be busy. If you can get me back to campus by 5:30 we could go out.”

Demyx had no idea how Zexion could ask that so casually. So he did what he did when the butterflies were running wild and laughed softly and rubbed the back of his head. “Not giving me much time to plan, are you?”

“It’s a first date. We could go to Dairy Queen and I would be happy.”

“Does Dairy Queen even have dinner food?”

Zexion smiled as he tucked his phone back into his pants after responding to Roxas and placed the pin into his beanie. “Not sure it is anything you will eat. You could get a chicken melt without the chicken?”

“I have no idea how serious you are, Zexy.” Demyx huffed as he slipped off the stool. They were a lot easier to get down from.

“You eat cheese, don’t you?”

“Yeah,” Demyx practically winced at him “How about we just go to the mall and score the food court?”

“Mm, that could work.” Zexion nodded and secured his beanie over his hair. “I think you just want to go to Hot Topic.”

“Okay, they are having a sale and I like their pants and you so totally like how I look in these pants.”

“I would look at them more if they were not glaringly bright.”

“I think you’re just afraid of color.” Demyx argued softly.

Zexion merely shrugged. “Let me get my coat and shoes.”

Demyx tapped his own shoes against the floor as he waited, picking up his left leg to fix his rainbow laces.

Zexion came back with his beanie secured and a black hoodie on let alone checkered shoes that could easily be Roxas’s. He was pretty sure the roommates shared clothes.

~~~~

Zexion wound up getting bourbon chicken and Demyx got a salad from Wendy’s.

**Author's Note:**

> You will never know Axel's choice.


End file.
